Fish Sanctuary and Oceanographic Institute in Nha Trang, Vietnam

If you find yourself traveling through Vietnam, Nha Trang is more than likely in your itinerary. If you have not been to Vietnam, here is your chance to learn something about this small, yet amazing country.

Nha Trang is located in the southern part of Vietnam, a few hours by bus from Ho Chi Minh City. It can be reached very easily by bus from north or south. There are regular sleeper buses that cross the country from top to bottom and vice versa with regular stop in every bigger city. Be it the tailor city Hoi An, the mountain Da Lat or our destination Nha Trang. The ticket for this bus is usually opened (you get it from north to south for example and get off and on wherever you want) and can be obtain from your hotel or from the many travel agents like Sinh Cafes. Whether you had to Nha Trang after spending time in Hanoi, checking out the hussle and bustle of the streets and wonderful scenery of Halong Bay or after experiencing the tragic Ho Chi Minh City’s Cu Chi Tunnels and war museums, it is a pleasant break from the crowds.

There are many dive centers in Nha Trang, however, the Rainbow Divers have a very solid offering and friendly staff. Diving in Nha Trang is usually done near by the Hon Mun Marine Park Islands, which presents one of the best diving spots in the South China Sea. Be sure to plan your trip during the right time of the year as the seasons vary. The rainy season is rom November until February and it could be tough going getting to Nha Trang as some towns are totally flooded, dry season run from March until October, so if you do not want to have any surprises in your trip shoot for that time of the year.

The waters around Nha Trang have an abundance of sea life, so you will definitely get your dose of nature. If you have a underwater camera, this is the place to bring it to. Your encounter could consist of cuttle fish, rock fish, colorful nudibranchs, puffer fish, trumpet fish, large starfish, pink anemone fish, varicose wart slug, blue sea stars, many small species of amazing looking fish and lion fish.

If you want to brush up on some of your marine animal species naming skills, after your daily dives, you can visit a huge oceanographic institute on the south side of Nha Trang. Here you’ll take a discovery journey through the marine species world and experience up close encounter with live sharks, turtles and also preserved marine parasites. This museum is definitely worth the visit. If you fancy more traditional Asian sites, just visit the sitting Buddha statue in one of the main temples there, but beware here of anybody trying to get money from you for showing you around. They are not part of the temple.

Now that you have a better understanding what awaits you in Nha Trang, Vietnam, get your scuba gear ready and start planning your next scuba diving adventure in Vietnam.